AMMAN, Jordan — Senior officials from Syria and neighboring nations gathered in Amman on Sunday to advocate for the lifting of Western-imposed sanctions on Syria and to discuss post-war reconciliation efforts. The meeting brought together the foreign ministers of Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani. This assembly occurred amidst ongoing clashes between Syrian security forces and insurgent groups tied to the Alawite minority, previously allied with the ousted Bashar Assad government in Syria’s coastal province. Reports from human rights organizations suggest that an estimated hundreds of civilians, primarily Alawites, have died in retaliatory attacks, but these figures have not been independently confirmed.
Western nations, particularly the United States and Europe, have been reluctant to ease sanctions on Syria due to a lack of a clear, democratic transition that includes minorities and civil society groups. Despite this, Syria urgently requires funding to reconstruct after years of conflict, with the UN estimating that approximately 90% of Syrians now live in poverty.
Al-Shibani emphasized, “We are protecting all segments of the Syrian population and will not allow a repeat of past tragedies.” However, Syria’s new leadership under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa faces significant challenges in persuading Western powers to lift sanctions, thereby enabling the country’s recovery after 13 years of conflict and fostering reconciliation with Kurdish and Druze communities.
Recent violence may hinder immediate efforts to remove sanctions. Statements from the U.S. and the U.N. have denounced the civilian killings, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attributing the violence to “radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis,” and demanding accountability from Damascus.
On the same day, al-Sharaa announced the establishment of a committee to investigate violence in coastal regions, focusing on “civilian violations,” alongside another panel dedicated to “maintaining civil peace.” Al-Sharaa, in a public statement, attributed the recent unrest to “remnants of the former regime” and accused foreign influences of trying to instigate a civil war to divide the nation.
The interim government is determined to confront former Assad allies responsible for crimes against state institutions and promises stern repercussions for anyone involved in harming civilians, but it remains uncertain if these measures will stabilize the situation and rebuild trust both within Syria and internationally.
Regional anxieties persist over Syria’s fragmented economy and internal discord potentially affecting neighboring countries’ security. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein stressed the need for dialogue with Syria’s diverse communities during a joint press conference in Amman.
Additionally, the foreign ministers expressed concerns over external interventions in the region, following Israeli military actions in southern Syria and their seizure of a U.N. demilitarized buffer zone along the Golan Heights. Israeli military officials also inspected the contested area on Sunday.
In response, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Fidan praised the “historic” meeting’s significance and encouraged collaboration to reduce Syrian tensions. Fidan pledged to tackle sleeper cells associated with the extremist Islamic State and the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Syria and Iraq, labeling both as “terrorist entities.”
Iraq’s foreign minister raised alarms about the resurgence of IS sleeper cells, urging increased cooperation in monitoring and sharing intelligence about the group’s activities and territorial expansions along the Syrian borders with Iraq and Jordan, and in Syria itself.
